For over 160 years, well-heeled shoppers have wandered down the Rue de Sèvres in Paris to visit the iconic department store Le Bon Marché. Now, parent company LVMH is bringing the experience of browsing elegant boutiques online with 24 Sèvres. But do people really want to buy luxury over the web?

As the digital and physical worlds of fashion continue to fuse, the industry is innovating to offer engaging, immersive experiences. With people's interest in sustainability and technology rising, retail spaces and campaigns are turning virtual – meaning the emperor’s new clothes just got real.

AR advertising on Facebook news feeds is being embraced by beauty brands like Bobbi Brown, Sephora and Michael Kors. Given that 77% of Americans own a smartphone, AR advertising is a playful and effective way for people to ‘try before they buy’ and experiment with beauty options.

Balmain has launched an AR app that allows users to connect with the brand’s luxury universe. The app is aimed at a younger audience of consumer who want greater access to luxury fashion, and who prefer novel approaches to marketing, rather than those considered more traditional.